If it's entertainment you're after, Amsterdam is the ultimate party city and there's always a festive atmosphere. Tranquil and laid-back by day, the city comes alive at night as party-goers hit the streets to enjoy the smoking coffeeshops, great bars, thumping clubs, live music gigs and sex shows. The focus of Amsterdam nightlife is in the Red Light District, but there are plenty of good options across the city for those who prefer something a little more low-key.
Coffeeshops For smoking, the ubiquitous Bulldog chain of coffeeshops is long established in the city and sells good dope - hence why it's always busy. You'll see branches scattered across the centre. There's a more eclectic and laid-back atmosphere at Kandinsky on Zoutsteeg, with mellow jazz music and interesting decor. Alternatively, the award-winning Greenhouse on Oudezijds Voorburgwal has a classic psychedelic theme with mesmerising brightly coloured stained glass and mosaics.
Nightclubs There are so many fantastic clubs in the city to list here, but some of the ones that are really a notch above the rest are: Paradiso on Weteringschans, which has a good mix of disco and hip-hop; the enormous Escape on Rembrandtplein, which has several different floors to suit different tastes; the off-the-wall Winston International on Warmoesstraat where you can hear anything from punk to electronica; and the cool and mellow Mazzo on Rozengracht, a great chill-out venue.
Gay and lesbian Amsterdam of course has a flourishing gay and lesbian scene and there's no shortage of good-quality bars and clubs. Check out Camp Cafe on Kerkstraat if you're after a quiet drink in friendly surroundings. For something more raucous and unconventional, The Web is guaranteed to entertain, where leather and rubber are the order of the day. A great lesbian bar is the loud and lively Vive la Vie on Amstelstraat.
Live music If you fancy going to a live music gig, there are plenty of different venues to choose from and you can hear just about any type of music from rock and pop to jazz and world music. You'll get listings of what's on in the city in the Wednesday edition of the Het Parool newspaper. Some of the more well known venues are Akhnaton on Nieuwezijds Kolk for African and world music, Bimhuis on Piet Heinkade for jazz, Melkweg on Lijnbaansgracht for rock and pop and Concertgebouw on Concertgebouwplein for classical music.
